Paulinho has family ties finally cut as Fernandinho helps Brazil get their groove back

If there’s one thing Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari does better than anyone else, it’s belief. He’s believed in this team. He believed way before anybody else did. And he will do way after anyone else would.

And after two underwhelming World Cup showings, he decided it was time to show faith once more. The reintroduction of Hulk aside, Brazil were unchanged for their clash with already-eliminated Cameroon on Monday, once again lining up with the XI that thrashed Spain to lift the Confederations Cup.

Fred and Paulinho had been heavily criticised, and for the latter it felt like a last chance. Had he converted a low cross in the opening minutes, it could have been different. But the Tottenham Hotspur man’s shot was blocked – after that he was totally anonymous, again leaving Brazil no pass into, or out of, midfield.

Felipao was clearly aware of the problem. His solution was to ask David Luiz and Thiago Silva to play long passes – they played 32 between them – completely bypassing the midfield. It worked, too, as a long Luiz pass created Neymar’s second of the evening in their 4-1 win.

That goal arrived moments after Silva was left so exacerbated by the lack of anyone willing to take possession that he stopped, put his foot on the ball and threw up his hands in indignation. This was one of the worst 45 minutes of Scolari’s current reign.

Neymar’s first goal came from holding midfielder Luiz Gustavo ostensibly becoming so sick of seeing nothing happening ahead of him that he decided he’d go and make tackles in the opposition’s half. He did so on 18 minutes and immediately sent in a brilliant low cross for Neymar to open the scoring – the Barcelona man was once again man of the match and is now the tournament’s top scorer.

Brazil were 2-1 up at the break but far from purring, Manchester City’s Fernandinho was introduced at half-time. The 29-year-old was nowhere near the squad until March when he returned to face South Africa and capped a strong performance with a wonderful goal.

His impact was immediate. In the first half Paulinho played ten passes in total. In the second Fernandinho played that many in the final third alone. He played three within three minutes of his arrival. He scored Brazil’s fourth goal. And helped create another.

I congratulated [Fernandinho], who is a guy who fights for his place in the side like everyone else – Paulinho

All of the above means Paulinho will likely become the first to lose his place on the Scolari Family’s front line. The other question mark, Fred, repaid the Professor’s faith. He did what Fred does. His goal – clearly offside – was nearly as Fred-like as the one he very almost headed over the line when lying flat on his stomach in the first half. With only Jo in reserve, it’s hard to see Fred ever losing his place. And he went the first two games without scoring in the Confeds before hitting five to finish joint-top scorer.

Next up for Brazil is Chile. On all three previous occasions La Roja have made it to the knockout stages of a World Cup, they have been eliminated by Brazil. But this Chile is a different proposition. Scolari’s biggest test awaits.